Hypericum plant named ‘Bosaenv’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named ‘Bosaenv’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; shiny red-colored fruits; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hypericum androsaemumcultivar Bosaenv.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum plant, botanically known as Hypericum androsaemum,commercially used as cut stems with fruits, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Bosaenv’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop cut Hypericum varieties with attractivefruit coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 1993 of a proprietary selection of Hypericumandrosaemum identified as code number 123, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemumidentified as code number 71, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Bosaenv was discovered and selected by the Inventorin July, 1995 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Rijnsburg, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hypericum by terminal cuttings taken atRijnsburg, The Netherlands since March, 1996, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bosaenv’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bosaenv’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Dark green-colored leaves.

3. Shiny red-colored fruits.

4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in fruit coloration.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the Hypericumcultivar Bosapin, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,993. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Hypericum differed from plants of the cultivar Bosapin in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plant of the new Hypericum were taller than plants of the cultivarBosapin.

2. Plants of the new Hypericum had smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar Bosapin.

3. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum were smaller and darker red incolor than fruits of plants of the cultivar Bosapin.

Plants of the new Hypericum can also be compared to plants of theHypericum cultivar Bosakin, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,994. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Hypericum differed from plants of the cultivar Bosakin in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Hypericum had smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar Bosakin.

2. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum were smaller and lighter incolor than fruits of plants of the cultivar Bosakin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hypericum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical plants of ‘Bosaenv’ in fruit.

The photograph on the. second sheet is a close-up view of typicalleaves, flowers and fruits of ‘Bosaenv’.

The photographs on the third and fourth sheets are close-up views oftypical leaves and fruits of ‘Bosaenv’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Hypericum has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands, in an outdoornursery and under commercial production practices. Plants were about twoyears old. The photographs and description were taken in September whenoutdoor day temperatures ranged from 14 to 27° C. and day temperaturesranged from 5 to 14° C. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Hypericum androsaemum cultivar Bosaenv.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemum identifiedas code number 123, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemum identifiedas code number 71, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 14 days at 20° C. Winter: About 21days at 15° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About two months at 20° C.Winter: About three months at 15° C.

Root description.—Fine; white in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright and outwardly spreading perennial woody shrub;globular to broadly globular in shape.

Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely basal branching; dense andbushy growth habit.

Plant height.—About 70 cm.

Plant width (spread).—About 70 cm.

Quantity of stems per year.—About eight.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internodelength: About 2.7 cm. Strength: Moderate. Texture: Smooth; glabrous.Color: 144C overlain with 183A.

Foliage description.—Leaves opposite; single; sessile and generallysymmetrical. Length: About 6.1 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Ovate.Apex: Acute to obtuse. Base: Obtuse to somewhat cordate. Margin: Entire.Texture: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:Developing leaves, upper surface: 137A. Developing leaves, lowersurface: 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to, butdarker than 136A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 137C. Venation,upper and lower surfaces: 144C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Bright yellow single flowers arranged in terminalcompound umbels with about 14 flowers per lateral branch. Flowers notfragrant. Flowers not persistent. Flowers upright.

Natural flowering season.—Summer, typically July through early Septemberin Rijnsburg, The Netherlands; flowering period typically lasts about 60days.

Postproduction longevity.—Cut stems are typically harvested when allflowers have developed fruits. Postproduction longevity of cut stemswith fruits is about two weeks.

Inflorescence height.—About 5.5 cm.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.

Flower buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Broadlyelliptic. Color: Base, 154B to 154C; mid-section, 1A; apex, 23A to 23B.

Flowers.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth: About 1.7 cm.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 9mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Aspect: Concave. Apex: Retuse. Base:Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth.Color: Developing and fully expanded petals, upper surface: 13A; colordoes not fade with subsequent development. Developing and fully expandedpetals, lower surface: 13A to 13B overlain with 17A.

Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 5mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse to abruptly acute. Base: Broadlycuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Slightly reflexed. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Smooth. Color: Developing sepals, upper and lowersurfaces: 143B. Fully expanded sepals, upper and lower surface: 143B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation:Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color:183A.

Pedicels.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation: Erectto about 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 143B;overlain with 178B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 85. Anthershape: Broadly ovate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 17A to17B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 13A. Pistils: Quantity perflower: Three. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Globular. Stigmacolor: Close to 45A. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: 1B. Ovarycolor: 154B to lB.

Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening: About 25. Longevityon the plant: About 30 days. Type: Capsule. Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length:About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:45B to 46B; shiny.

Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: More than 100. Length: About 0.8 mm.Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: N199C.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hypericum.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been observed totolerate temperatures ranging from −15 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named‘Bosaenv’, as illustrated and described.